Sunday March 23rd 1862
No War news public today. It has been rather pleasant and no rain. Our next door neighbor Comodore Smith had his house robed last night. The Thief went all over the house gathering up watches, money, spoons, &c, without alarming the inmates. He unlocked the back door with Burglers nippers. The Comodore seems to be in bad luck. He recently lost his son, Lieut Jos. B Smith, on the Congress in her fight with the rebel Iron Clad Steamer “Merrimac.” I have not been to church today, wife & the rest of the family went. Took a walk with the boys before dark, saw the Battalion of Cavalry which brot the Body of Col Slocum of the RI 2nd who was killed at Bull Run in July. The Regt is now near the City and the body was just recovered and brought over to the Reg’t. The Cavalry came over as an Escort and were on their return when we saw them.
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The three diary manuscript volumes, Washington during the Civil War: The Diary of Horatio Nelson Taft, 1861-1865, are available online at The Library of Congress.
